Besides the fact that I have voted Beaverlac my favourite farm in the Western Cape so far, and the fact that the setting is undeniably on par with my preference, this is objectively a true gem- its increasing popularity indicative of this.

What works: It is conveniently close to Cape Town- an easy 2 hour drive, except for the last farm road part (in a normal car). I like that you don’t have to book, a true compliment to spontaneity. I like that the farm and camping site are huge and that it has no defined borders between campsites. I appreciate that a large percentage of the folk who go there are lazy, preferring to lounge in their camping chairs or wallow in the Waterslangetjie-inhabited Main Pool, leaving the rest of the farm and rock pools relatively people-sparse. I love it in winter when nobody but a few cabin dwellers exist, and I love the fact that it is rock art rich, most of which likely remains undiscovered and hidden. The rivers and rock pools speak for themselves.

What is working against it: The no booking policy means that there isn’t necessarily a limit on the number of people who may decide to visit on a particular weekend and because the farmer seems to have cleared some new land for camping, it has opened up his farm even more to the long-weekend masses, totalling around 4000 people (excluding dogs). Spontaneous long weekends or holidays are no longer an option if you wish to truly appreciate everything the farm has to offer and if you find hearing your neighbour’s every move, snore or child-slap a little disturbing.

It’s a catch 22. Get rid of a great no-booking system or give up certain weekends and holidays in favour of other spots that are often more commercial and organised?

That aside, I love it- it’s a great default and certainly a camping destination of choice.